Historiated Initial With Theophilus Selling His Soul To The Devil, In 'The De Brailes Hours'

William de Brailes is the only 13th-century English non-monastic illuminator known to have signed his work. His surname means 'from Brailes', a town in Warwickshire, about 30 miles north of Oxford. Documentary sources reveal that he lived and worked in Oxford, with his wife Celena, in a bookmaking community based around the present site of the chapel of All Souls College. His distinctive painting style has been recognised in several manuscripts, of which this is perhaps the most important. It is the earliest extant English Book of Hours (a book containing prayers to be said at certain hours of the day), and includes two self-portraits. The story of Theophilus relates how a priest who lost his job sold his soul to the devil in order to get it back. In this initial 'Q' Theophilus hands over the contract, from which hangs his seal. The caption below in red tells us that it was written with his own blood.